Old Testament Survey Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

Transcription

1 Old Testament Survey Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

2 Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther Overview Introduction The time span within Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther is approximately 100 years The books of Ezra and Nehemiah used to be one book The authorship of Ezra and Nehemiah is attributed to Ezra, though there are passages that come directly from Nehemiah in Nehemiah

3 Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther Overview

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5 Ezra Overview Introduction The book of Ezra continues where 2 Chronicles ends It is a time of excitement, hope, and optimism Ezra was a scribe and a priest Writes in the third person for the first part of the book, but later switches to the first person Name means Jehovah Helps

6 Ezra Overview Central Theme God is renewing the covenant by restoring His people, the temple, true worship, and Jerusalem. But it s not the end, and it doesn t fulfill all the great prophecies. Thus His people still look to the future.

7 Ezra Outline Restoration Under Zerubbabel First Return Chapter 1 Preparations for the Return Chapter 2 Lists of those who Returned Rebuilding the Temple Chapter 3 Rebuilding of the Temple begins Chapter 4 5 The Rebuilding halted by hostile challenge Chapter 6 Rebuilding permitted and completed

8 Ezra Outline Reform Under Ezra Second Return Chapter 7 Royal permission for a Remnant to return Chapter 8 Return of the Remnant Reforming the Life of the Community Chapter 9 10 Ezra s decisiveness concerning intermarriage

9 Ezra Summary and Themes God Initiates and the People Respond From Ezra 1:5 6 Cyrus, king of Persia, decrees that the Jews are allowed to return to Judah and Jerusalem Fulfillment of prophecy Isaiah 45:1 5, 13 calling of Cyrus as God s instrument Jeremiah 25:11 12, 29:10 70 year exile God moves the heart of his people to go as well

10 Ezra Summary and Themes The People Return and Rebuild From Ezra 1:7 6:22 God provides His people the materials to rebuild 1:7 The articles from the temple, including the golden altar, golden table, golden lampstands, golden basins, and the massive bronze pillars, stands, and basins Restoration of David s line With Zerubbabel as descendant of David leading back the first wave of exiles to Judah

11 Ezra Summary and Themes The People Return and Rebuild Restoration of the priests Jeshua is part of the priestly line that is restored Restoring of the altar and temple for worship Reconstruction occurs from chapter 3 to 6 There is opposition from the people living in the land The Temple is finished approximately 20 years from the first exile return, in the sixth year of King Darius reign, in 516 BC

12 Ezra Summary and Themes The People Return and Rebuild Upon completion of the Temple, the Feast of Unleavened Bread (or Passover) is celebrated Initially instituted by God during the exodus to be kept by future generations to commemorate the great act of salvation How fitting it is the picture here, after God brings back the people from Gentile rule The glory of the former temple remembered

13 Ezra Summary and Themes The People Sin and Repent From Ezra chapter 7 10 It is approximately 60 years after the completion of the temple, 458 BC We learn that Ezra studies and does the word of the LORD before teaching it Ezra returns to Judah from Persia and finds that the people have fallen into sin again What is Ezra s reaction to the news? Ezra 9:1 3

14 Ezra Summary and Themes The People Sin and Repent Why was this so grievous to Ezra? The holy race, as Ezra mentions, finds its roots from Genesis 3:15 Ezra prays for the people, acknowledging their sin and God s holiness Note the gravity of the confession Note that repentance is not mere acknowledgement, but action to undo the sin

15 Ezra Summary and Themes The People Sin and Repent God is not completed his plan of salvation There is more to come in the story of salvation and the coming kingdom

16 Nehemiah Overview Introduction He was the cup bearer for the king of Persia He was also governor of Jerusalem This is sometimes named as Second Ezra as both this book and Ezra are a continuation of each other Is not mentioned outside of this book Takes place approximately 100 years after the first return of exiles (445 BC)

17 Nehemiah Outline Focus on Work Activity Centered on the Wall Civil Life of the Community Reconstruction of the Wall Chapter 1 2 Planning the Building Chapter 3 6 Rebuilding the Wall amidst conflict without and within Chapter 7 List of those who returned

18 Nehemiah Outline Focus on Spiritual Renewal and Rectitude Activity Centered around God s Law Religious Life of the Community Reinstruction, Recommitment, and Reformation of the People Chapter 8 The Law Read and Explained Chapter 9 10 Covenant Renewal Ceremony Chapter Resettling of Jerusalem Chapter 13 Reforms of Nehemiah

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20 Nehemiah Overview Nehemiah Returns and Rebuilds the Walls From chapter 1 7 Jerusalem s walls are still broken down Nehemiah hears a report that the walls of Jerusalem are still damaged and is moved to tears Why is the walls of Jerusalem important? City walls are more important than its army as it shields the city from attacks The people in Jerusalem were still vulnerable

21 Nehemiah Overview Nehemiah Returns and Rebuilds the Walls What does Nehemiah do? He PRAYS He prays that the King of Persia will allow him to go back to Jerusalem He prays in a way that the ultimate goal in the asking of the LORD is that He might be glorified through giving them to us Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem and begins to rebuild the walls

22 Nehemiah Overview Nehemiah Returns and Rebuilds the Walls This is not an easy task as there is opposition from both their neighbours and from within Israel The neighbours see this as a threat, not only to themselves, but also to the Persian empire The people within Israel oppose the rebuilding because it is costing the builders financially through the high rates of interest they must pay The walls are finished within a year of Nehemiah arriving in Jerusalem

23 Nehemiah Overview The People Rejoice and Relapse From chapter 8 13 The restoration and renewal of the city is complete The renewing the of the covenant and the reading of the Law is given at this time However, this is short lived and the people fall back into sin by breaking the Sabbath and intermarrying

24 Esther Overview Introduction Takes place between 483 and 473 BC It is in the city of Susa, Persia Within this book, there is no mention of God, the covenants, the land, the temple, or David The author is unknown, though it could be one of either Mordecai, Ezra, or Nehemiah

25 Esther Overview Central Theme God protects his people, even if we can t see how he is working.

26 Esther Overview The Jews Threatened Chapter 1 Why the Persian King thought he needed a new Queen Chapter 2 Esther becomes Queen Chapter 3 Why and How Haman plotted the destruction of the Jews

27 Esther Overview The Jews Rescued and Victorious Chapter 4 Mordecai pressures Esther to help her nation Chapter 5 Haman s Plot and Esther s counterplot Chapter 6 7 Esther and Mordecai thwart Haman s plot Chapter 8 10 Victory of the Jews

28 Esther Summary and Themes God will Judge God will bring judgement on the wicked Haman is guilty of a multitude of sins We see God s providence working: Haman wants to humiliate Mordecai, but is forced to honour him Haman wants to hang Mordecai, but instead, Haman is the one who is hanged Haman wants to eradicate the Jews, but instead, they are made victorious

29 Esther Summary and Themes God will Judge Christians should have peace about trials in this life, confident in the hope of God s sure judgment against the wicked

30 Esther Summary and Themes God works through circumstances Esther 4:14 Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? God uses earthly instruments to accomplish His plans God guides and directs all of his creation Our circumstances are one tool for understanding God s will in our lives

31 Esther Summary and Themes God will save His people God zealously protects His people This is a major theme throughout the bible It is not always clear at times how God is working, but he will deliver His people and carry his redemptive plan forward

32 Esther Summary and Themes God will save His people Mordecai is a descendant of King Saul (2:5) Haman is a descendant of King Agag (9:24) We understand the interaction between them, why Mordecai doesn t bow to Haman and why Haman has a strong loathing of the Jews The line of Saul is redeemed, centuries after the disobeyed command

33 Daniel Next class

34 References Longman, Tremper III, and Raymond B. Dillard. An Introduction to the Old Testament, second edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, equip/adults/coreseminars/old testament/ Ryken, Leland et al, Ryken s Bible Handbook, Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2005 Dever, Mark The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made, Wheaton, IL, Crossway Books,